Loving food and staying slim

[Lilija]

This is something I have to think about very hard, right now. I found out I was diabetic a few weeks ago, and my doc put me on an 1800 calorie diet. I thought it would be torture, but I have to say, it's shockingly easy. I think that's important, the easy part, because if I had to really change things, and deny myself, I wouldn't be able to do it.

I once told my doctor I would rather eat well, and be fat and happy, than be skinny, denying, and depressed. Finding the balance wasn't too hard. I'll eat anything, but I'm learning the art of the trade off. Like, do I really want that 300 calorie hot dog, when I can have 3 pieces of barbecued chicken instead? Sometimes, I'll eat that hot dog, and have it with a salad, or something. Whatever I'm in the mood for. Yesterday, we had a barbecue, I had the barbecued chicken, watermelon sorbet, a lemon bar, baked beans, coleslaw, potato salad...some pretzels, a few Jack and diet Cokes, on top of a good breakfast, and I still came in under 1800 calories.

It's been easy because my family loves vegetables and isn't picky, and easy because I use food and activity journaling software. It really is as simple as calories in, calories out. I burn more than I eat, and I can eat anything I damn well please. The worst thing about it is the tedium of sitting down and entering everything I eat into the program. The biggest thing I've learned is that I used to eat about three times more, portion wise, than I needed to.

I've also upped my activity level. I got a pedometer, and fixed up my bike. I aim for a minimum of 5000 steps and a half hour of riding a day, or 10000 steps. I already did yoga, and tai chi, so I sub those in on days I don't feel like walking or biking anywhere. My doc gave me the 1800 calorie diet thinking I was totally sedentary, and I'm not, but it works, and I think I burn more.

I read this thread a few weeks ago, when I had to change things, and it helped me. I'm using a few of your philosophies, now, regularly. I don't eat bad food, ever. If it's not awesome, I won't eat it. That alone has cut out about 3 fast food meals a week, and incalculable refrigerator raids.

I'm stuffed, I eat good food, I've have good energy, my blood sugar has been doing well, and that's what I care about. I happen to be losing weight, too, but it's almost like some kind of side effect. My weight never bothered me, and I would never go on a diet simply for cosmetic reasons. I think health, not looks has been the huge motivator.

[kayb]

I've gained and lost the same 20 pounds perhaps 20 times over 30 years. Currently I'm just coming out of the down side of that cycle, and intent on not climbing up the other side.

I've made a few changes over the years that make it easier. When eating out, I've learned to order an appetizer as an entree; along with a salad and/or soup, it almost always gives me enough to eat. When I'm eating a full meal, I work on portion control and eating slowly, savoring.

I cook on weekends. Gladware is my best friend, along with the fridge and microwave at work; lunch at work two days this week was a big bowl of purple-hulled peas with tomato relish, accompanied by a side of sauteed squash. My co-workers envy me. If I don't have leftovers I can warm up, I make up a quick soup the night before and pop it in the fridge so I can grab and go in the morning.

I keep in the credenza in my office a jar of peanut butter, a plastic knife and a sleeve of graham crackers. Graham crackers and peanut butter (two of the three-inch squares, maybe a tablespoon of PB) will stave off hunger pangs, give me a good shot of protein and fiber, and takes about 30 seconds to prepare. It's my go-to breakfast if I don't have something prepared to bring from home; I usually try to bring along some fruit or yogurt.

At night, I lean heavily on cold meats, cheese, fresh veggies and fruit. I'm often cooking just for myself -- I have a 19-year-old with a busy social life -- and I eat what I want, and often that's a caprese salad and a bowl of cantaloupe. And that's fine. I generally don't have desserts, and never candy, cookies, etc., around the house.

I try to exercise, but I've gotten out of that habit in the past six months; I've learned to set myself a time out in the future that I'll get back in the gym, and stick to it. This time, it's Sept. 1, to accommodate some travel I'll be doing in August. My other biggest challenge was getting out of the 1960s mindset that a meal is not a meal unless it includes a meat, a starchy vegetable, a green vegetable, and bread.

It's been an interesting journey. I've learned a lot about myself, and about food.

[Margaret Pilgrim]

When I first started meeting other food writers I was surprised to see that so many of the women in the business are so lithe. When I see Melissa Clark (or Amanda Hesser, or Dana Cowin, or I could go on and on) standing around at an event looking slender and gorgeous, I become even more convinced that metabolism as determined largely by genetics is the only secret involved here.

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That's a comforting opinion, but after decades of concern for calories and pounds I've discovered it's really a matter of portion control.

We travel a lot, therefore eat out a lot, love cooking at home and in the country, enjoy giving small dinner parties and find that we can and do eat anything and everything that we want in small and reasonable portions. No second helpings, period. Restaurant portions are often enough for two people and when not shared, the excess is left on the plate. We enjoy wine with dinner most nights, but unless we are entertaining we enjoy an excellent cup of coffee and several pieces of good chocolate after a meal rather than dessert. We don't drink soft drinks or beer. V-8 or tea fills an afternoon hungry moment.

No foods are considered out of bounds in moderation. A spoonful, yes, literally one slow and delicious spoonful of ice cream is lovely before bedtime.

[Will87]

I've recently begun my journey to getting back in shape. I'm lifting and doing cardio, but diet is obviously the most importanct factor in general health as well as dropping bodyfat. I've read countless of opinions from people on bodybuilding/lifting forums who say just eat clean. I'd like to hear opinions from people, like ourselves, who have a genuine love of food. I'm interested in hearing how you balance health and food and if any of you have made efforts to get into shape and what you did as far as diet.

I love cooking and good food and most food choices I use, now that I'm getting into shape, leave my tastebuds wanting something better.

Thoughts? General opinions?

Edited October 18, 2009 by heidih
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[Lisa Shock]

I found this article to be of interest:

http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/health/article-1200993/Why-calorie-counting-makes-fat.html

Looks like the texture of food affects the calories expended to consume it. So, look for more whole foods and less processed foods. If you eat meat, get a steak, not a burger. Eat a salad made with carrot slices rather than grated carrot.

[MikeJ]

I, too, love food and being in shape about equally. I think the key is selective overindulgence. As far as I'm concerned, it's perfectly fine to eat bushels of the following delicious foods with impunity: asparagus, garlic (roasted with olive oil and smeared on something thin and crunchy, preferably), peppers, squash, leafy salads... I'll come back and add more if they occur to me. Everything else should be enjoyed in moderation.

It's a little depressing when you read these fitness forums, and people post their eating regimes, meals from which tend to look like this:

Lunch: 1.7 cups oats with water, 1 scoop protein powder, 1 can of tuna with hot sauce.

When it's just as healthy and infinitely more delicious to have poached salmon with brown rice, broccoli and a little hollandaise. Which reminds me, those of us who exercise a lot and limit what we eat have an automatic advantage in enjoying food: hunger is the best sauce. Blanched vegetables with smoked salmon, minced garlic and a red wine vinegar/olive oil dressing tastes as good when you're habitually famished as fish and chips do when you're habitually satiated. At least, that's been my experience.

Edited October 17, 2009 by MikeJ (log)